Don MacArthur

Don MacArthur, known as “The Practical Engineer,” is a Guest Contributor to In Compliance Magazine with over 30 years of experience in robust design, measurement systems, EMC/ESD and safety engineering, and reliability. He has worked across defense, industrial, and critical‑infrastructure technologies, helping teams understand system behavior, failure modes, and measurement validity. Don specializes in making complex engineering concepts accessible—turning physics, standards, and real‑world performance requirements into practical guidance that strengthens immunity, improves durability, and supports mission‑profile reliability.
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From This Author

Practical Engineering

Preparing for Compliance Testing: A Step‑by‑Step Guide for Engineers in Product Development and EMC/Safety Certification

Skipping pre-compliance testing can turn a routine certification into a costly redesign. This step-by-step checklist walks engineers through standards research, design reviews, documentation, and lab coordination, helping teams catch problems early and avoid the delays that derail product launches.
Product Insights

Navigating UL 810A: A Guide to Electrochemical Capacitor Compliance

Supercapacitors are showing up everywhere from EVs to renewable energy systems — but one safety standard determines whether they're fit to ship. This guide breaks down what UL 810A actually requires, where manufacturers get tripped up, and one costly rating mismatch to watch for.
Practical Engineering

Inside the Lab: What Happens During Compliance Testing?

Compliance testing labs are where products prove they're ready for the real world — but what actually happens inside one? This primer walks through the key steps, tools, and methodologies engineers use to evaluate safety, performance, and regulatory adherence before products reach market.
Product Insights

Choosing the Right Oscilloscope for Compliance Testing: A Practical Guide

Choosing the wrong oscilloscope can compromise compliance results before testing even begins. This practical guide walks engineers through the critical selection factors — bandwidth, sampling rate, memory depth, and built-in analysis tools — and how to match each to real-world EMC, EMI, and high-speed digital testing demands.
Practical Engineering

Design for EMC: Practical Tips for Reducing Interference in Complex Systems

Interference problems caught late in development can mean costly redesigns and certification delays. Don MacArthur walks through the PCB layout, grounding, and shielding strategies engineers need to tackle EMC challenges head-on—before they become showstoppers.
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Product Insights

Building Expertise: The Crucial Role of Training in Compliance Engineering

Compliance engineering demands constant adaptation — and training is what makes it possible. This piece examines why continuous learning is essential for keeping pace with evolving standards, emerging technologies, and global regulatory requirements, and what it means for engineers who want to stay ahead.
Practical Engineering

Mastering Radiated Emissions Testing: Tips for Success in EMC Compliance

Radiated emissions testing is a critical—and complex—step in EMC compliance. This practical guide walks engineers through preparation, equipment setup, and troubleshooting strategies to help identify and resolve emissions issues before they become costly certification failures.
Product Insights

Navigating Accreditation: Why Testing Laboratories Need to Meet Global Standards

Global markets don’t run on assumptions—they run on accredited data. ISO/IEC 17025 laboratory accreditation gives manufacturers the consistency, accuracy, and credibility regulators expect. See why accreditation has become a competitive advantage across every major industry.
Practical Engineering

Common Compliance Pitfalls: Lessons Learned from Real-World Case Studies

Compliance failures can devastate product development—leading to recalls, financial losses, and long-term brand damage. This article explores real-world engineering case studies, including Samsung’s battery recall, Volkswagen’s emissions scandal, Intel’s processor bug, and Boeing’s 737 MAX issues, revealing actionable lessons to strengthen compliance, safety, and quality processes across industries.
Product Insights

Choosing the Right Antenna for Compliance Testing: A Practical Guide

Choosing the right antenna can make or break your compliance testing results. This practical guide walks engineers through the essentials—frequency range, polarization, gain, and directivity—while decoding which antenna types deliver the most accurate, reliable measurements in real‑world EMC and RF test environments.
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